Great and profound changes have taken place in intemational situation after the Cold War, and developing countries are facing both opportunities and challenges. Facing the new international situation,both China and Africa have a strong desire to further strengthen consultation and cooperation and jointly meet the challenges of the new century. The establishment of the FOCAC in 2000 is closely related to the active promotion of African countries. Under this new situation,Madagascar,Benin and other African countries have proposed to China that they look forward to the early establishment of a collective dialogue and cooperation mechanism between China and Africa to jointly meet the challenges in the new era. They held that African countries have established various multilateral consultation mecharusms with Britain,France,the United States, Japan and the European Union. Since China and African countries have traditional friendly and cooperative relations and have a strong desire to further strengthen cooperation,it is even more necessary for both sides to establish similar mechanisms to strengthen consultation and cooperation and jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.In May 1999, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar Ratsifandriamanana visited China. During her talks with then Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, she earnestly said that the current intemational situation has undergone great changes, and African countries are eager to establish partnership with China and to hold consultations on peace and development issues of common concem. She suggested setting up a "China_Africa Forum".After careful consideration, the Chinese government decided to accept the proposal of African countries and initiated the convening of the FOCAC. Through multilateral consultation, China and African countries exchange views on major issues, coordinate their positions, and jointly draw a blueprint for China-Africa cooperation in the new century.In October 1999, then President Jiang Zemin sent a letter to his counterparts of African countries who have diplomatic relations with China and to the Organization of African Unity （ OAU） Secretary-General Salim, formally proposing to convene"the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation-Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000". African countries responded enthusiastically. In November, the Preparatory Committee for FOCAC was formally established, with then Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and Minister Shi Guangsheng as honorary chairmen, then Vice Foreign Minister Ji Peiding and then Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Sun Guanxiang as chairmen. Apart from the two leading units of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, it also includes 18 ministries and units closely related to China-Africa cooperation or related to the preparation of the conference.After one year's preparation between China and Africa, "the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation-Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000" was held from October 10 to 12,2000. Then President Jiang Zemin, then Vice President Hu Jintao, "the Troika" of OAU ( predecessor of the AfricanUnion）, namely, the former, current and future presidents of OAU-Algerian President Bouteflika, Togolese President Eyadema, ZambianPresident Chiluba, and Tanzanian President Mkapa attended the openingceremony as special guests and delivered important speeches. ThenPrenuer Zhu Rongji and OAU Secretary-General Salim attended theclosing ceremony and delivered speeches. Seventy-nine ministers from44 African countries that have established diplomatic relations withChina and Somali ambassador to China attended the meeting. Malawiand Liberia, which have not established diplomatic relations with China,also sent delegations to attend the meeting as observers.
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